2022-23 Teacher Recommendation Form

For Prelude and Intermezzo, sixth grade is viewed as a transitional level, during which either group might be appropriate, depending on the student’s maturity and musical progress. In general, a young player will have a better experience if the repertoire being prepared is somewhat less challenging than what he or she may be studying with a private teacher. Allegro’s overriding vision is to produce cohesive ensembles that play with joy, emphasizing musicianship and expression, elements which can best be nurtured if the students are not struggling with technical issues. So that parents and private teachers can make an informed decision for their students, below are skill-sets for each group:

Level Definitions

Introductory- The student has a vague understanding of the concept and will generally NOT perform the specific technique correctly when sight-reading. Additional instruction, practice, and much more exposure to the concept is required before mastery can be achieved.
 
Developing - The student has a fair to good understanding of the concept, but when sight reading, may stumble when attempting to use the specific technique. Some guidance and practice is necessary in order to achieve mastery.
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Proficient - The student has a complete and thorough understanding of the concept and will generally perform the technique correctly and accurately when sight-reading. Little or no additional practice is required for mastery.

Intermezzo Strings Expectations

Reads and performs basic rhythms (whole, half, quarter, eighths) AND dotted rhythms at a proficient level.
Reads and performs in compound meters at an introductory-developing level.
Reads, discriminates between, and correctly performs low/high 2’s (violin/viola), 2nd/3rd fingers (cello) and 2nd/4th fingers (bass) at proficient level.
Reads and performs in first position, with good intonation, on all four strings at a proficient level.
Reads and performs high 3’s /low 1’s (violin/viola) and extensions (cello) at a developing-proficient level.
Reads and performs in higher positions (3rd for violin; 2nd, 3rd, and 4th for cello; half, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th for bass) at an introductory-developing level (developing-proficient for first violins).